1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscopic treatment instrument and an endoscope system, and more particularly, to an endoscopic treatment instrument and an endoscope system which are equipped with an actuator driven by gas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, endoscope apparatuses are used widely in medical fields and industrial fields. Endoscopic treatment instruments are sometimes used together with endoscopes.
For example, in the industrial field, treatment instruments are used together with endoscopes in endoscopic examinations to collect foreign matter in test objects or to sample substances in piping.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-220685 discloses a manipulator equipped with a grasping portion used to grasp an object and the like, wherein a pneumatic actuator is housed in a tubular portion having flexibility, to cause the grasping portion to perform an opening and closing action.
Because the endoscopic examination is conducted by inserting an insertion portion of the endoscope in the test object, desirably the endoscopic treatment instrument has a small-diameter tubular member as with the insertion portion of the endoscope.
However, a configuration of the manipulator according to the above proposal has a problem in that plural pneumatic actuators are mounted in a flexible tube portion, increasing an outside diameter of the manipulator.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscopic treatment instrument and endoscope system which are equipped with an actuator driven by gas and capable of reducing a diameter.